Hectographic addressing device



April 27, 1954 H. JAGGER HECTOGRAPHIC ADDREssING DEVICE Filed Nov. 5, 1948 Patented Apr. 27, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HECTOGRAPHIC ADDRESSING DEVICE Hubert Jagger, Redwood City, Calif. Application November 3, 1948, Serial No. 58,043

1 Claim. l

1This invention relates to improvements in addressing devices.

One object-of the invention is to providefan addressing' device of the hand-stamp type 'that is of simple construction and thus capable of loW cost production and which can be used for addressing envelopes, cards `or other mail pieces from a list of addresses typed `or written on a tape-like roll of paper carried by the addresser. By means of the present improvements, a simple addressing device is provided which is adapted for use by clubs, lodges and other like `organizations in addressing invoices, notices, and the like, to their memberships and is usable also by commercial houses in addressing advertising circulars, or the like, from a prepared list of customers in instances where the number of addresses is such that the use of relatively expensive addressing machines is not warranted and Where repeatedly Writing the addresses by hand or by means of a typewriter is a time-consuming chore.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an addresser of the hand-stamp type that is adapted to carry a master tape or strip of paper in roll form which bears the addresses typed thereon in hectograph or copying ink, preferably of the spirit soluble type, and provided with simple means for advancing the master strip to move succeeding addresses thereon, consecutively, into an imprinting position.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a hand-stamp type addi-esser adapted to carry a pair of easily removable spools which support a master tape or strip bearing addresses in copyable ink that are movable successively into an imprinting position by manual rotation 0f one spool or the other and having means for producing a braking action on the spools for retaining the strip in the desired taut condition during the succeeding imprinting operation.

Other objects of the invention relate to various features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an addresser which is illustrative of the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the addresser;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 but showing the addresser with a tape or master strip of addresses in position in the addresser;

Fig. 4 is a broken sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

(Cl. lOl- 47) Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary obverse view of the master stripor tape illustrating an address in mirror or obverse characters thereon;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a copysheet moistening device and supporting platen; and

Fig. is a perspective view of a message imprinting device.

In the drawings, the form of the addresser rselected for illustrative purposes is shown as comprising a frame shaped structure IU having vertical side Walls EI, I2, a top Wall I3 and a bottom Wall I4. In the form shown, the top wall is illustrated as being provided with a handle I5 by means of which the addresser is manipulated manually, but the handle, of course, may be of a v'different form, if desired, The bottom Wall I4 has a lower presser surface IB which is shown as beingconvex in transverse section. The bottom wall is smooth and its lateral or longitudinal edges preferably are rounded since it is around this presser surface that the tape passes in advancing successive addresses thereon into an imprinting position in Vwhich the addresses on the tape may be pressed against a suitably moistened card, envelope, or the like, for imprinting there- 0n the particular address registering with the presser surface I6.

The tape is supported by the frame IG on spools or rolls such as are illustrated in Fig, 1. In said gure, two spools ll and I8 are shown which are identical. These spools may be formed of metal or of other material such as partially of wood and metal or of plastic, if desired. The spools shown are analogous to metal camera spools each havine a longitudinal slot I9 in the spool shaft into which an end of the tape may be inserted preparatory to winding the tape upon the spool. Each spool has a recess in one end into which is adapted to receive one of the pivots 20 provided on the wall I I of the frame i0.i The opposite end of the spool, as show-n in Fig. 4, in addition to having a pivot receiving opening 2I, is also provided with. a diametr-ical slot 2 2.

The side Wall i2 of the frame is provided with a pair of axially slidablc spindles 23 each provided with a hand-operable knob 24 at the outer end. The inner yends of the spindles 23 are provided With transverse pins 25, each of which is adapted to seat in a diametrical slot 22 of the spool to provide a driving connection whereby rotation of a knob 24 manually effects rotation of the respective spool. In Fig. 1 of the drawing, the Wall I2 is shown as provided with exterior bosses 26 centrally bored to provide guide passages for the spindles 23. The inner face of the side wall I2 is provided with integral annular seats 21 in which are seated at one end the coil springs 28 which at the Outer ends bear against washers 29 located inwardly of the pins 25. The springs thus urge the spindles 23 inwardly or to the right as viewed in Fig. 1 and normally exert end thrusts on the spindles of sufcient value to provide braking eiects which resistl unintentional rotational movement of the respective spools.

By grasping the knobs 24, the spindles can be withdrawn against the action of the respective springs 28 for releasing the spools as will be seen or for permitting the insertion of the spools.

Normally, a tape such as the tape 38 shown in Fig. 5, after the addresses have been typed thereon in mirror characters by use of an appropriate hectograph or duplicating carbon is wound upon one of the spools and placed in position in the frame I0, as in the upper position. A second spool is then placed in the lower position in the frame and the tape, as indicated in Fig. 3, extends from the upper spool across the presser surface i6 to the lower spool and attached thereto for Wind-up purposes by inserting the respective end of the tape in the slot I9. Rotation of the lower spool by means of the respective spindle will cause the tape to wind up on the lower spool. The tape is wound on the lower spool until the rst address to be used is in proper registration with the r presser surface I6, the address in mirror characters being on the outer face of the paper.

By simply moistening a card, envelope, or other mail piece to be addressed, with duplicating spirit, the address appearing in reverse or mirror characters at the imprinting position on the presser surface, as above described, will be imprinted upon the moistened surface of the mail piece by merely pressing the presser plate or surface I6 against the moistened portion of the mail piece with a slight rolling action. For addressing the succeeding mail piece to a different addressee, the lower spool is rotated manually to advance such second address to the imprinting position, as above described and repeating the foregoing steps. When all the addresses have been utilized in addressing mail pieces, the address-bearing portion ofthe tape will be wound upon the lower spindle and hence, when another batch of mail pieces is to be addressed to the same addressees,

the upper spindle is rotated to cause the tape to be wound progressively on the upper spool in advancing the addresses on the tape in succession into the imprinting position.

The action of the springs 28 exerts suiiicient end thrust cn the associated to provide a braking action which retains the span of the tape between the two spools in taut relation upon the surface i6, thus avoiding wrinkling or loosening of the tape and insuring clear reproduction of the addresses. Other braking means may be provided for the spindles and associated spools, if desired. The addresser preferably is used as part of a kit comprising the addresser and a pad for moistening the mail pieces at the areas to receive the addresses. One form of moistening pad referred to is shown in Fig. 6. This pad comprises a pan shaped receptacle 3| and a similar shaped cover 32 hinged thereto. The pan 3| is provided with a felt 33 supported above the bottom of the pan by perforated sheet metal members 34. The width of the members 34 is such as to provide spaces for a suitable number of wicks 35 which rest upon the bottom of the pan and contact the lower surface of the felt 33. The felt pad can be removed and spirit poured into the pan whence it will move by capillary action upwardly through the wicks 35 to effect adequate moistening of the felt 33. The mail pieces, when pressed upon the surface of the felt 33, will pick up enough spirit for the duplicating operation, above described. Preferably only the portion of the mail piece that is to receive the address will be pressed against the moist pad. This can be accomplished by using a small block or metal plate of the proper size and shape.

The top section of the pan 32 is shown as provided with a platen 36 in the form of a slab of hard rubber preferably, that is, of about 75 Shore hardness. When a mail piece has been moistened, as above described, it is transferred to the platen or plate 36 with the moist surface uppermost and the addresser pressed thereon as above described to transfer to the mail piece the desired address. One end and one side wall of the cover member 32 preferably extends slightly above the upper surface of the rubber slab to provide stops or margin bars that facilitate the uniform positioning of the successive mail pieces upon the platen surface, as indicated at 32a and 32h.

A master tape can be removed readily from the addresser for replacement by another tape carrying a different list of addresses as will be seen, although, generally, a single roll of tape will be adequate for a club or like organization having a membership of only one or two hundred.

An addition article that preferably forms a part of the kit mentioned comprises a message imprinting member shown in Fig. 7. This member comprises a curved plate 31 provided with a handle 38 and having along its longitudinal edges removable sheet metal U-shaped clips 33 by means of which there can be attached to the convex face of the plate a message master, that is. a card or paper wider but of the same length as the member 31 and which carries in mirror type in copying ink a message that is to be printed upon the mail pieces when the latter are in the form of cards or sheets for example. The message master is attached to the member 3l' by the clips 33 which is pressed over the edges of the plate after the edges of the master have been folded over said edges. Such cards or sheets may be moistened by pressing the portion thereof to be moistened upon the feltl 33 after which they are placed upon the pad 36 with the moistened surface uppermost. The message is transferred to the card by means of the device 3i' by a rolling action which causes the message master to be moved into uniform contact with the moistened surface portion of the card. The kit referred to is particularly advantageous where it is desired to print a message on a number of post cards and likewise address the cards as in sending out notices by a lodge or club, for example. In such instances after the message has been printed by the message device shown in Fig. '7, the addresses can be imprinted on the other sides by the addresser, as above described.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the addresser for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be obvious that various change in details thereof may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention set forth in the accompanying claim.

I claim:

A duplicating device comprising a hand manipulative structure including spaced apart side walls, a top wall having a handle thereon, and a bottom wall having a smooth lower surface convex in cross section and having its edges rounded to provide a, presser surface, a pair of journals carried by each side Wall in oppositely aligned relation, a pair of vertically aligned longitudinally slotted spools carried by said journals, end plates carried by said spools, the journals of one wall being oi cup-shaped configuration and extending inwardly of said wall, coil springs seated in said cup-shaped journals abutting the adjacent end plates to provide friction brakes for said spools, control knobs positioned exteriorly of said one Wall, one operatively connected to each spool, and a, hectographic tape in roll form carrying addresses on successive sections thereof ex tending from one side of one spool and having one end engaged in the slot thereof, said tape extending over said convex surface to the other of said spools from the side thereof opposite the direction of extension from said one spool and having its other end engaged in the slot of said last mentioned spool.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Edison Aug. 3, 1880 Trumbull May 20, 1902 Merrill Feb. 2, 1909 Bronnann Sept. 20, 1910 Folrner Apr. 23, 1912 Ellis Mar. 13, 1917 Bates Jan. 15, 1918 Lyons Nov. 10, 1931 Melind July 19, 1938 Morris Jan. 6, 1942 Metzner Apr. 21, 1942 Weber Feb. 20, 1951 Bartholomew Apr. 10, 1951 

